Enterococcus alishanensis sp. nov., a novel. lactic acid bacterium isolated from fresh coffee beans

A coccus-shaped organism, designated ALS3(T), was isolated from fresh coffee cherries collected at a farm located in the Ali Mountain region of Taiwan. Sequence analysis of its 16S rRNA gene indicated that strain ALS3(T) belongs to the genus Enterococcus and has more than 98.5% sequence similarity to Enterococcus pallens and Enterococcus hermanniensis. When comparing the ALS3(T) genome with these two type strains, the average nucleotide identity values and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values were 72.6-73.3 and 19.2%, respectively. The G+C content of the genomic DNA from strain ALS3(T) was 35.6 mol%. Results of sequence analysis, together with enzymatic activities and characteristics of carbohydrate metabolism, indicated that strain ALS3(T) is distinct and represents a novel species, for which the name Enterococcus alishanensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is ALS3(T) (=NBRC 109593(T)=BCRC 80605(T)).